Sportsman&#39;s jacket and raincoat



Nov. 1, 1955 R. J. GAZELLE 2,722,020

SPORTSMANS JACKET AND RAINCOAT Filed Jan. 25, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. Foam/0 J. 64251.46

Nov. 1, 1955 R. .1. GAZELLE SPORTSMANS JACKET AND RAINCOAT 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1954 imam) J. 6425445.

United States Patent SPORTSMANS JACKET AND RAINCOAT Rolland J. Gazelle,Detroit, Mich., assignor of one-half to Walter T. Anderson, Detroit,Mich.

Application January 25, 1954, Serial No. 405,860 9 Claims. (Cl. 9-20)This invention relates to a sportsmans jacket, and raincoat, and moreparticularly to a jacketor raincoat which will have certain buoyantcharacteristic if the user falls into the water.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel jacket orraincoat construction which has formed therein a series of elongatedpassageways between the lining and jacket which are open at their lowerends and into which water may flow for entrapping at the upper ends ofsaid passageways a quantity of air.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a noveljacket construction, together with means for snugly maintaining a liningagainst the users body, together with a jacket construction having aseries of collapsible folds defining said passageways.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide additionalupright elongated air passages which tend to stabilize the jacket whenthe user is partially submerged for maintaining such user in asubstantially upright po sition.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a novelcollar with cape formation, which are hollow and contain expansibletubular elements into which a capsule of compressed gas may be releasedfor increasing the buoyancy of the jacket.

It is the further object of the present invention to provide a safetyjacket or raincoat which will support the user for several days, ifnecessary, within the water.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specificationand claims in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the jacket.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the jacket fully opened, exposingthe lining thereof.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

It will be understood that the above drawings illustrate merely apreferred embodiment of the invention, and that other embodiments arecontemplated within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

The present construction includes a substantially plain jacket lining 11and a jacket formation 12, including sleeves 13 and the front fasteningbuttons 14, together with a formed collar 15, which is hollow for thepurposes hereafter described.

The jacket includes an exterior hollow cape formation 16 with a hollowtubular depending portion 17, which extends along the rear of the jacketloosely and is secured thereto at the lower end as at 45, Fig. 4, saidtubular portion being open at its lower end as at 55. A suitable belt 18is employed.

The lining 11 at its opposite marginal edges is secured to thecorresponding marginal edges of the jacket as at points 19 and 20.

As viewed in Fig. 3, the jacket lining is adapted to extend around theupper part of the body and downwardly to a point adjacent the hips asindicated at 21, Fig. 3;

whereas the jacket proper extends therebelow as shown or may be of afull length as indicated at 54 in dotted lines, for use as a raincoat.

The lining at its lower edge terminates in a plurality of upturned tabs22 which are suitably secured, by Vulcanization or by heat and pressureas at 23 to the inner portion of said lining, to thereby support theelastic belt 24 which is furthermore secured to said tabs and to thelini as at the points 25.

Said belt terminates at its opposite ends in the buckles 26, which havecooperating fasteners 27 and 27 adapted for interlocking engagementwhereby the belt ends may be secured together for snugly maining thelower periphery of the lining around the users body.

There are provided in spaced relation a pair of depending straps 28secured to said belt at 29 and having looped free ends 30, which areadapted to extend under the users crotch, and upwardly so that saidlooped portions 30 are received by the free ends of the belt before thesame are buckled together.

By this construction, the lower portion of the lining 11 is snuglymaintained against the users body and is held down at all times.

There are provided a plurality of hold-down tabs 31 arranged throughoutthe length of belt 24 and secured thereto either by stitching or by apressure welding process at points 32. The depending ends of said tabsare respectively secured to interior portions of the jacket as at points32. The purpose of these tabs is to effect a distribution of forces whenthe user of the jacket or raincoat falls into the water to preventtearing of the lining, inasmuch as a portion of the thrust will betransmitted from the belt to portions of the jacket.

As shown in Fig. 4, as well as Fig. 2, there is provided upon the outersurface of lining 11 a series of reverse folded strips 35, each of whichdefine an elongated air passage 34 running substantially the length ofsaid lining. These passages will be closed at their opposite ends oronly at the upper ends and will appreciably increase the buoyancy of thejacket combination, and will also have a tendency to stabilize thejacket or raincoat when used for maintaining the user in a substantiallyupright position regardless of the movement of the body of water.

The jacket proper has formed as a part thereof a series of full folds 36as indicated in Fig. 4 wherein the jacket is fully opened. Said passagesare closed at their upper ends but are open at their lower ends with theopenings thereof coinciding with the lower marginal edge 21 of lining 11as indicated in Fig. 3.

The purpose of the fold elements 37 is to permit the folds 36 to expandinto an increased cross-sectional area when the garment becomessubmerged and as the Water begins to fill portions of each of saidpassageways.

These passageways before emersion will have a certain quantity of airwithin each of them, which air will become entrapped as the garmentbecomes submerged and as water enters said passageways.

This entrapped air will thus be moved to the upper closed ends of saidpassageways where it will be retained against dislodgment and therebyprovide an increased buoyancy for the jacket construction.

There is additionally provided as a portion of the jacket, the capeformation 16 which extends around the shoulders, rearwardly thereof, andwhich is hollow and terminates in the downwardly depending tubularelement 17, which is bounded adjacent the jacket proper by the wall 42.

Said wall is normally spaced from the rear of said jacket, but isinter-connected therewith at several points throughout its length as at45, to thereby maintain the tubular element in an upright position, saidelement being open at its lower end as at 55, Fig. 2.

The. tubularportion 1.7. of the cape 16 includes the inwardly directedfold elements 43, tothereby define. the.

element 17 to additionally increasethe buoyancyof the garment.

As shown inFig, 5, aswell as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the formedcollar ishollow and provides an air space 46 Within Which is positioned. anelongated sealed balloonlikeelement 47, normally in. a collapsedcondition.

There is provided a compressedcarbon-dioxide capsule onother gas capsule48, upon the. interior of the balloon 47', which can.be manually crushedby the user to release thegas, thereby inflating said balloon.

While the garmentisquite buoyant without the use of the balloon 47,nevertheless the inflation thereof will so.gr.eatly increase thebuoyancyof the jacket or raincoat that the user, mightbe maintained floatingupright for several days.

Furthermore, the upper portion of cape 16 is also hollowandcontains.anelongated collapsedballoon or other sealed article 52,which also contains a breakable carbondioxide capsule 5.3. Thus withtheballoon-like element 52inflated, the garment. has amaximum buoyancy.

Having described my invention, reference should now be, hadto the.claims. which follow for determining the scope, thereof.

I- claim:

1. A buoyantsports1nan.s jacket or raincoat comprising. anouterjacketand an inner lining, the lining terminating adjacent the hipsof the wearer and the outer jacket extending therebelow, anelastic beltsecured to the lower end of said lining. for snugly maintaining saidlining against,the, users body, spaced crotch straps depending from rearportions of the belt and adapted to be attached tothe front freeendportions of said belt, said outer jacket havinga. series ofvertically extending folds defining..air-t ight pouchesclosed at theirupper ends and open. at theirlower. ends adjacent thebottom of said liing, vertical portions of said outer jacket bounding said pouches beingsecured to outer portions of said lining .for.connecting' the outerjacket to said lining completing. said pouches, theside edges of saidpouches having. opposed inwardly. directed return folded portions ofsubstantial .V-shape to provide air chambers of increased area in saidpouches, and a hollow cape formation secured to .and:extending acrossand rearwardly of the shoulders, of saidouter jacket said capeterminating in a downwardly dependingtubular element open at its lowerendand loosely. connected adjacent its lower end to said outer jacket. 7

2. The jacket or raincoat of claim 1, the said. edges of said tubularelement having opposed inwardly directed return folded portions ofsubstantial V-shape to provide an air chamber of increased areain saidtubular element.

3. A buoyant sportsmans jacket or raincoat comprising an outer jacketand an inner lining, the lining terminating adjacent the hips of thewearer and the outer jacket extending therebelow, an elastic beltsecured to the lower end of. said lining for snugly maintaining saidlining against the users body, spaced crotch straps depending from rear.portions of the belt and adapted to be attached to the front free endportions of said belt, said outer jacket having a series of verticallyextending folds defining airtight pouches closed at their upper ends andopen at their lower ends adjacent the bottom of said lining, verticalportions of said outer jacket bounding said pouches being secured toouter portions of said lining for connecting the outer jacket to saidlining completing said pouches, the side edges of said poucheshavingopposed inwardly directed return folded portions of substantialV-shape to provide. air chambers of increased area insaid pouches, ahollow collar on said outer jacket, an elongated collapsed balloon-likeelement within said collar, and a manually breakable compressed gascapsule positioned within said balloon-like element.

4. The jacket or raincoat of claim 1, an elongated balloon-like elementpositioned within said cape, and a manually breakable compressed gascapsule secured within said balloon-like element.

5. The jacket or raincoat of claim 1, an elongated'balloon-like elementpositioned within said cape, a hollow collar on said outer jacket, anelongated collapsed balloonlike element within said collar, and manuallybreakable compressed gas capsules positioned within said balloonlikeelements.

6. A buoyant sportsmans jacket or raincoat comprising an outer jacketand an inner lining, the lining terminating adjacent the hips of thewearer and the outer jacket ex.- tending therebelow, said-outer jackethaving a series of vertically extending folds defining air-tight pouchesclosed at their upper ends and open at their lower ends adjacent thebottom of said lining, vertical portions of said outer jacket boundingsaid pouches being secured to outer portions of saidlining forconnecting the outer jacket to said lining completingsaid pouches, theside edges of said pouches havingopposed inwardly directed return foldedportions of substantial V-shape to provide air chambers ofincreasedareain said pouches, and a hollow cape formationsecured to and extendingacross and rearwardly of] the shoulders of'said outer jacket, said capeterminating in a downwardly depending tubular element open at its lowerend and loosely connected adjacent its lower end to said outer jacket.

7-. The jacket. or raincoat of claim 6, an elongated balloon-likeelement positioned within said cape, and a manuallybreakable compressedgas capsule secured within said balloon-like element.

8. The jacket or raincoat of claim 6, an elongated balloon-like elementpositioned within said cape, a hollow collar on said outer jacket, anelongated collapsed balloon likeelement within said collar, andmanuallybreakable compressed gas capsules positioned within said ballon-likeelements.

9. A. buoyant sportsmans jacket or raincoat comprising an outer jacketand an inner lining, the lining terminating adjacent the hips of thewearer and the outer jacket extend ing-therebelow, said outer jackethaving a series of vertically extending folds defining air-tight pouchesclosed at their upper ends and open attheir lower ends adjacent thebottom of said lining, vertical portions of said outer jacket boundingsaid pouches being secured'to outerportions of said lining forconnectingthe outer jacket to said' lining completing said pouches, theside edges of said pouches having. opposed inwardly directed returnfolded portions of substantial V -shape to provide air chambers ofincreased area in said pouches, a hollow collar on saidv outer jacket,an elongated collapsed balloon-like element within said collar, and amanually breakable compressed gascapsule positioned within saidballoon-like element.

References .Citeddnthe fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

